Published 6:30 am, Thursday, November 25, 2004

The Park at the Bend would encompass more than 7 acres of land, divided into three separate tracts by Lazy Meadows Drive and a perpendicular CenterPoint Energy easement in the Harvest Bend subdivision, located northeast of U.S. 290 and southeast of FM 1960.

Related Stories

"The opportunities for some children to experience wildlife and nature are so limited. This will show children there is more than urban life."

The water district is matching the state grant with about $50,000 and land, labor and material donations from Harvest Bend Homeowners Association, developer Dream Star Homes and about seven other organizations.

Construction is scheduled to begin in December or January. Once the park debuts in the spring, the land will be deeded to the nonprofit Legacy Land Trust for preservation.

Officials with the water district said they plan to establish wetlands in two flood basins. These will be at a nearly 2-acre tract at the corner of Lazy Meadows and Bending Brook Way and a 4.5-acre tract bounded by Lazy Meadows, Harvest Meadows Drive and Golden Sunshine. The land around the basins would be planted with native grasses, trees and wildflowers donated by Harris County Precinct 4, the Katy Prairie Conservancy and Trees for Houston Inc.

"Wetland plants are kind of like natural kidneys," said Mary Anne Piacentini, executive director of Katy Prairie Conservancy. "They filter sediment and pollutants from rainwater and runoff from roads."

An octagon-shaped deck for bird watching and fishing, four pedestrian bridges, an island for wildlife and two learning bridges with information posted about native species would be constructed on the larger pond.

A basketball court, fountains and a picnic pavilion are slated for the "Triangle," a tract of more than an acre at Lazy Meadows.

Water district officials said they would build a hike and bike trail that would snake through each piece of the park and extend to the White Oak Bayou trail system.

The Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club, the Greater Houston Off Road Biking Association and Bike Houston plan to help build the trails to reduce the cost of labor.

Charlotte Burns, secondary science curriculum coordinator for the Cy-Fair school district, said the district would consider using the nature preserve for science field trips.

"That might afford some opportunities for Campbell (Middle School), but I don't know," Burns said. "The funding for field trips is not as viable as it used to be."